Only 100,000 Israelis over 50 left to be vaccinated - new data

The Coronavirus Knowledge and Information Center warned that Israel could be on the verge of another outbreak

By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN
A HEALTHCARE worker prepares a COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Rehovot on Monday. (photo credit: YOSSI ALONI/FLASH90)
A HEALTHCARE worker prepares a COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Rehovot on Monday.
(photo credit: YOSSI ALONI/FLASH90)
The reproduction rate (R) has started to stabilize around the number one, worrying health officials who know that if the rate passes one infection will once again start to spread.
At the same time, despite warnings by the Coronavirus Knowledge and Information Center, there has not been any major outbreak.
The center warned in a Friday report that Israel could be on the verge of another outbreak, with the next stage of reliefs set to be rolled out on Sunday while around 5% of people tested per day have a positive result. Though it noted that even if the number of new cases increases, it is unlikely Israel will see a spike in serious cases due to vaccination.
According to Eran Segal, a computational biologist for the Weizmann Institute of Science, before vaccination, around 27% of new daily cases were 19 years or younger and today around 47% of cases fall in that age range. In contrast, 25% of new cases were 50 years or older before the vaccines. Now, only 11% of new cases are in that age range.
The number of Israelis getting the jab, although decreasing in terms of how many people get vaccinated per day, continues to be striking. So far, the Health Ministry showed Friday, more than 4.9 million Israelis have been inoculated with at least one shot, among them more than 3.6 million who have had their second shot.
Segal tweeted that 90% of people over the age of 16 in the general sector have recovered from the virus or had one dose of the vaccine. Some 70% of haredim and 67% of Arabs have also had one dose.
He said when looking at the percentage of people over 50 who have been vaccinated or recovered: 98% in the general community (31,000 people left to go), 81% of haredi (22,000 left) and 84% of haredim (47,000 left).

However, the haredim are starting to see a spike in the reproduction rate in their community, after about two weeks of decline. The R in the sector rose to 0.96 on Friday and 13% of positive tests were from that sector.
The Arabs have had the highest rate of infection in recent weeks but they are starting to see a decline.

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Some 3,630 people were diagnosed with the virus on Thursday, the Health Ministry showed Friday afternoon. There were 690 patients in serious condition. The death toll rose to 5,834.